Bolton, Harry Edward

Lieutenant Harry Edward Bolton - 59th Australian Light Railway Operating Company

Harry Edward Bolton was born in Camberwell Surrey England on the 29th December 1871 to Isaac and Isabella Bolton. He was one of eight siblings, Herbert (1869), Arthur (1873), Alfred (1875), Maud (1878), Leonard (1879), Edgar (1881) and Winifred (1883).

The family lived in Maidstone Kent until they moved to Fremantle WA in the last 1880's.

Harry was employed by Western Australian Government Railways on the 20th March 1889.

In 1893 Harry married Alice Jane Mathews, and they had five children, Laura (1895-d/1904), Ida (1897), Isabel (1904), Olive (1906) and Dora (1910)

In 1909 the family were living at Victoria Ave North Fremantle and Harry was employed as an Engine Driver.

In 1912 the family moved to 60 McCleery St South Fremantle (later renumbered 26) and Harry had been a Member of the Legislative Assembly since 1903. From June 1904 to October 1911 he represented North Fremantle and from October 1911 to September 1917 he represented South Fremantle.

He also then contested his seat in September 1917 though lost as he was away in France. After his war service he stood again in July 1919 but was unsuccessful.

In 1917 Harry and the family moved from McCleery Street to 31 Price Street South Fremantle. (later renumbered to 9 Price St).

Several members of the Bolton Family had or would enlist in the Great War, and Harry's nephew Percy was killed at Gallipoli. His brother Edgar enlisted in 1916 as a Munitions Worker. Harry tried to enlist in February 1916 but was unsuccessful as was classed as medically unfit.

On the 9th January 1917 Harry tried again and enlisted for service in the Great War. This time he was accepted and due to his previous Railway experience he was this time accepted for service as he would be sent to the newly forming Railway Corps. He would hold the rank of Lieutenant.

The group did not have long to train in WA as on the 29th January 1917 they left Fremantle Harbour aboard the transport ship HMAT Miltiades. The ship then set sail for England, reaching Devonport Harbour on the 27th March 1917.

The men were then sent to the Railway Camp at Borden. They trained here for the next two months and in May 1917 were sent to France where he was attached to the 59th Railway Operating Company. He served with the 59th Company and then the 5th Broad Gauge Railway Operating Company in France and Belgium through 1917 and 18.

For a time they were responsible for running what was known as the 'Midland Line'. This ran from north of Poperinghe to Regensberg north of Ypres and then to St Julien. They later operated from near Abbeville and ran services to Boulogne and Dunkirk as they were connected to the main French rail network.

They took supplies from the base depot to closer to the front lines. Though not in the front lines the railway lines were often under long range shellfire and aircraft bombing attacks as the German knew the importance of the railway lines.

On the 7th December 1917 Harry was granted leave to England and spent two weeks there before returning to his unit on the 21st December 1917. Harry served through 1918 on the Western Fron except for a two week leave period in June/July 1918.

On the 2nd November 1918 Harry was sent to hospital with cardiac issues, it was thought that he had been near an exploding shell and was sent to the 20th General Hospital at Camiers. He was then sent to England on the 6th November 1918 where he was admitted to the 5th London General Hospital.

Harry was still a patient in hospital when the Armistice was declared on the 11th November 1918. He remained in hospital until the 26th November 1918. He was then sent to No.2 Command Depot Camp at Weymouth at await a ship home.

On the 9th December 1918 Harry boarded the transport ship Argyllshire and set sail for home, reaching Fremantle on the 19th January 1919.

Harry was discharged from the AIF on the 28th February 1919. Harry would be a big support of the returning soldiers and in February 1919 in the newspapers of the time it was reported;

Returning Soldiers. LIEUT. HARRY BOLTON'S APPEAL'

Speaking at the opening of a soldier's widow's home, erected by the Fremantle Ugly Men, Lieut. Harry Bolton, South Fremantle's ex-member, made a strong appeal for the returning boys in khaki. Lieut. Bolton said : "If the people of the West will take a little more interest in the boys who have done their job, these men will land more satisfied on Australian shores than they are doing. They are coming back rapidly now, but the authorities have yet to find out that they need more careful attention than they are receiving. These men have lived under conditions whilst away that are outside the pale of civilisation, in a sense. They now need love and affection, not military orders, to make them ordinary men again. Don't grumble when a returned man loses his head for five minutes. Think of what he has gone through over there—only think for two minutes of the suffering, horror and privation he has seen and endured, and you will easily forgive him for a little slip. He has been through Hell itself! This man was as good as any of you when he left. Don't kick him back into the way he should go, but lead him, and he will appreciate it, and be thankful to you later, when he sees that you are grateful for what he and his mates did for you."

After returning home to Price Street, Harry tried unsuccessfully to resume his career as a MLA but was unsuccessful. However he was still kept busy with Union activities where he had been a Foundation member and twice president of the Engine Drivers, Firemen and Cleaners Union and in 1921 was head to the Returned and Services League in WA.

Harry was also heavily involved in the Freemasons and was a Grandmaster in WA.

By 1922 the family had moved to Marmion Street Palmyra (Between Adrian and McKimmie Street) and Harry was working as a land agent. The family lived there till 1930 when they moved to 207 Hammersley Rd Subiaco.

In 1937 the family moved to 1 Harvey Road West Subiaco where he lived for the rest of his life. Harry died on the 18th August 1956 aged 85. He was buried at Karrakatta Cemetery plot Congregational AA 0214.